1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a cash cassette having a receiving compartment for receiving a value note stack, the receiving compartment comprising a bottom unit limiting the receiving compartment in the direction of a cassette bottom, and a press-on unit for exerting a counterforce on the value note stack received in the receiving compartment, which counterforce is directed opposite to the direction of deposit of notes of value. Here, the press-on unit is movable in the direction of deposit and opposite to the direction of deposit.
2. Discussion
From the not-yet-published European patent application 13 171 458.6, a cash cassette is known, which comprises a press-on unit for exerting a counterforce for holding a value note stack in the receiving compartment. This press-on unit has a spring which is tensioned the more, the further the press-on unit is away from an opening of the cash cassette, i.e. the more notes of value are received. Further, the press-on unit has a locking element by means of which the press-on unit is lockable in an end position.
A similar cash cassette is known from the likewise not-yet-published European patent application 13 171 459.4.
From the non-yet-published European patent application 12 194 757.6, a cash cassette is known, the press-on unit of which comprises a counterplate which contacts the front end of the received value note stack. This counterplate is spring-mounted together with the housing of the press-on unit so that, even in the case of a fixed press-on unit, the counterplate is movable by a predetermined distance relative to the rest of the press-on unit.
Known press-on units are problematic in that they are relatively hard only movable in the direction of deposit or opposite to the direction of deposit, which may result in problems and value note jams in the case of a sudden displacement of the value note stack during certain processes. At worst, it may result in that the device automatically goes out of service for safety reasons.
For example, the rolls via which the notes of value can be pulled off from the front side of the value note stack have a projecting segment so that they do not have a uniform diameter and thus problems may arise in the case of a stationary value note stack. Further, when a closing unit of the cash cassette is closed, the value note stack is pushed further into the receiving compartment by a retaining element which is then moved from an open position into a retaining position. For this, too, it is required that the value note stack can be moved into the receiving compartment easily, and nevertheless a safe holding of the value note stack in the receiving compartment without turning over is achieved.
Moreover, known press-on units often have the problem that, when the cash cassette is vertically oriented, the force exerted on the press-on unit by the value note stack may be greater than the counterforce so that, in particular in the case of a vertical orientation of the cash cassette, the press-on unit can inadvertently be moved into the direction of deposit which can result in that the notes of value of the value note stack can turn over. This may result in problems when dispensing the notes of value later on.
It is the object of the invention to specify a cash cassette which enables a safe holding of the notes of value in the receiving compartment, yet is still not susceptible to failure.
According to an aspect of the invention, the bottom unit of the cash cassette has at least a first snap-in element and the press-on unit has a second snap-in element that is complementarily formed to the first snap-in element. By the first and the second snap-in element, a snap-fit connection is formed between the bottom unit and the press-on unit, via which snap-fit connection the counterforce required for holding the value note stack in its planned orientation is applied. Thus, it is achieved that by means of a corresponding snap-fit connection, the force exerted by the weight of this value note stack on the press-on unit will not be so high that the press-on unit is inadvertently moved further into the direction of deposit, even in the case of a vertically oriented cash cassette.
The second snap-in element is formed elastically such that the press-on unit is still movable further in the direction of deposit by a predetermined distance when the snap-fit connection between the first and the second snap-in element is established. Thus, it is achieved that a correspondingly little displacement of the value note stack by this distance in the direction of deposit is possible, which is, for example, advantageous when notes of value are automatically removed by means of a feed and/or stacking module. Such feed and/or stacking modules in particular comprise rolls having a projecting segment so that the roll has an actually smaller diameter and a larger diameter due to the projecting segment so that the distance between the axis of rotation of the roll and the contact area via which the note of value to be pulled off is contacted varies. If the value note stack were to be held relatively rigidly in a receiving compartment, this could result in that the value note stack cannot be moved into the receiving compartment sufficiently far enough by the projecting segment, and thus failures can occur. At worst, the separating and/or stacking module would go out of service.
Via the elastic second snap-in element, the value note stack is again moved back opposite to the direction of deposit as soon as the projecting segment of the pull-off roll no longer contacts the value note stack so that the value note stack is held firmly between the pull-off roll and the press-on unit at all times.
In addition, the elastic design of the second snap-in element has the advantage that a retaining element which holds the value note stack in the receiving compartment at the feed opening side of the cash cassette, i.e. the side of the receiving compartment that is arranged opposite to the press-on unit, is pivotable even when the press-on unit is snapped in. Here, this retaining element is pivotable between a retaining position and an open position, wherein, when moved from the open position into the retaining position, it moves the value note stack further into the receiving compartment in the direction of deposit by a predetermined distance.
The predetermined distance, by which the second snap-in element is deformable, is in particular designed such that it comprises at least the distance by which the retaining element, when moved from the open into the retaining position, moves the value note stack so that despite of an existing snap-fit connection a movement of the retaining element from the open into the retaining position is possible.
The cash cassette in particular comprises several first snap-in elements arranged one behind the other as viewed in the direction of deposit, these first snap-in elements preferably being identically formed. By providing several first snap-in elements arranged one behind the other it is achieved that the second snap-in element can snap into another first snap-in element depending on the filling level of the cash cassette, i.e. depending on how many notes of value are received in the receiving compartment, and thus can be adapted to the received amount in a step-by-step manner. In this way, the value note stack can always be held safely in the receiving compartment and a turning over of notes of value is prevented.
The snap-fit connection is in particular designed such that when a limit force is exceeded the snap-fit connection is released so that the second snap-in element separates from the first snap-in element and snaps into the next first snap-in element as viewed in the direction of deposit. This limit force is in particular set such that it is exerted via a feed and/or stacking module when feeding notes of value so that the step-by-step displacement of the press-on unit into the individual first snap-in elements automatically takes place when notes of value are supplied.
As this snapping into the first snap-in elements arranged one behind the other takes place in a step-by-step manner, the elastic design of the second snap-in element is particularly advantageous since in this way a continuous displacement of the press-on unit is likewise possible between the individual steps. Thus, the notes of value are always held safely within the receiving compartment under a minimum pressure.
Further, it is advantageous when the first snap-in element or the first snap-in elements are formed in the bottom unit as a recess into which the second snap-in element can engage. In this way, a particularly simple design is achieved.
The press-on unit in particular comprises a locking element for holding the press-on unit in an end position, the locking element—in a locking position—being engaged with a stationary first engagement element of the cash cassette, and—in the unlocked position—allowing a displacement of the press-on unit opposite to the direction of deposit. The end position is in particular the position which the press-on unit assumes when it is arranged at the end of the receiving compartment that is opposite to the feed opening. The locking element in particular serves to lock the press-on unit in the end position when the cash cassette is manually filled and/or emptied.
The second snap-in element is in particular designed as a part of this locking element so that a particularly simple structure is achieved.
The locking element is in particular mounted on the press-on unit so as to be pivotable about an axis of rotation and is pivotable about this axis of rotation between the locking position and the unlocked position. The locking element is in particular held in the locking position by an elastic element, preferably a spring, and is movable against a restoring force of this elastic element from the locking position into the unlocked position. Thus, it is achieved that the second snap-in element, too, is held in a lower position via this elastic element and is movable into an upper position against the restoring force of this elastic element so that the elastic element can perform a movement together with the locking element, which simplifies the displacement of the snap-in element. The locking element in particular comprises a lever for manual actuation so that the locking element can be moved easily between the locking position and the unlocked position.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the second snap-in element has a stiff portion for snapping into the first snap-in element, this stiff portion being connected to the press-on unit via a flexible portion. By means of this stiff portion, it is guaranteed that the two snap-in elements safely snap into each other, the flexible portion providing the elastic deformability of the snap-in element.
The second snap-in element is in particular designed such that it acts like a compressible spring.
The flexible portion is in particular formed as a film hinge via which a correspondingly movable connection of the stiff portion with the rest of the press-on unit, in particular, with the locking element is accomplished.
In an alternative embodiment, the snap-in element can, for example, also be connected to the rest of the press-on unit via a spring or another more complex mechanism, in a correspondingly elastically deformable, i.e. compressible manner.
Further, it is advantageous if the snap-in element is elastically formed such that it is movable between a first and a second position against a restoring force of the snap-in element. This movement from the first into the second position in particular takes place automatically in that the value note stack is pushed further into the receiving compartment in the direction of deposit. The force required for this is, for example, applied by a feed module and/or a retaining element. A movement from the second into the first position automatically takes place due to the restoring force of the second snap-in element, as soon as this restoring force is higher than the force that has previously moved the second snap-in element from the first into the second position.
In a preferred embodiment, the predetermined distance by which the press-on unit is still movable in the direction of deposit when the snap-fit connection is established is shorter than the height of the smallest note of value to be received in the receiving compartment. Thus, it is prevented that the note of value can turn over so that the planned deposit of the notes of value standing on their edges is safely maintained.
The first snap-in element is in particular designed such that after establishing the contact between the first and the second snap-in element the second snap-in element can still be moved further in the direction of deposit by a predetermined distance while the second snap-in element is guided in the first snap-in element before then the snap-fit connection is finally established. By the first final establishment is understood that at least the part of the second snap-in element that engages with the first snap-in element no longer moves relative to the first snap-in element. When the snap-fit connection is finally established, the press-on unit can only move further in the direction of deposit by the predetermined distance as a result of the elastic deformation of the second snap-in element before then an end position is reached beyond which the press-on unit can only be moved further if the snap-fit connection between the second snap-in element and the first snap-in element is released.
This total distance resulting from the elastic deformation and the movement of the two snap-in elements into one another is in particular designed smaller than the height of the smallest notes of value to be received in the receiving compartment so that a turning over of these notes of value is prevented. In particular, this total distance has a length between 10 mm and 30 mm, preferably between 17 mm and 22 mm, for example of about 20 mm. As a result of these dimensions, it is on the one hand prevented that the notes of value turn over and on the other hand sufficient movability of the press-on unit is achieved.
The second snap-in element in particular has a foot portion for bearing against and sliding on the first snap-in element. In particular, this foot portion already comes into contact with the first snap-in element when the press-on unit is moved so far in the direction of deposit that the second snap-in element is arranged at the front end of the first snap-in element as viewed in the direction of deposit.